stay the same.
Thomas Frank is yet another Spurs’ manager who finds out early that Spurs really shouldn’t try that drop deep and try and hang thing as they cough up a two goal lead, to lose the UEFA Super Cup on penalties to PSG.
It was gonna be a thrashing wasn’t it? A real stuffing by the greatest team the pundits have ever seen – see distracted boyfriend meme with Pep’s team. Well, under the previous manager, even with PSG only coming back to training in the last week, it would have been but here.
Well, how many times did I post here or on the X that “one team look/looked coached”? Here Spurs looked coached.
It was obvious, except to media experts, it was gonna be a back three with Porro and Spence as wingbacks. A formation designed to stifle the oppositions attacking starts and for the vast majority of the game that’s exactly what it did. But while Ange went defensive to to get into this game, Frank’s side actually got forward. While everyone was working hard to stop those in blue. It took 66 minutes before PSG managed to get Vicario involved into the action and have to make a save, it was at that point only their third shot. Meanwhile Spurs had managed 5 shots on and 5 shots off target.
They were also two up. Back post Spurs.
The first came just before the break, with a Vicario free-kick, from just in the PSG half, to the back of the box, nodded on by Romero it was headed off the back of van de Ven’s head and fell to Palhinha, who stabbed out at the ball, bringing out a save the ball coming off the bar to Micky who was the only one alive and he knocked it in.
It could have been two not long after with a Kudus header coming off the post. Things were just working with this coached side. There wasn’t the fannying about at the back, the ball was getting up pitch quick, Richarlison was working, he was holding up the ball and chasing down everything. The long throw was working a treat, as good as a corner or free-kick. And while Danso was good with those throws, sometimes he was left behind by the pace of the PSG attack, there was cover. There was always cover. Players were getting their bodies in, making sure everything was blocked off before it got anywhere near Vicario.
Kudus was getting plaudits and while some of his play was good a number of times a quick break was on but the winger was lollygagging, just meandering forward, giving normally Richy no out ball. Almost like Bissouma when his alarm goes off and he knows he has to be in by 10.
Well, under the last manager there was that post-halftime slump. Here they came out like they’d been coached during the break and not bored to sleep. The main culprit being Sarr, who was everywhere and all over everyone in blue in the second half.
Two minutes after the break and Spurs doubled their lead. Another free-kick and again Romero was getting round the back this time further in the box and his header squirmed past the keeper in what seemed like slow motion. It even took the new club captain by surprise.
It was all going so well until the 72nd and 79th minute. Richy had run himself into the ground, as had Palhinha – exactly what they needed, as it frees up the other midfielders – who hadn’t exactly much game time of late and Kudus. They were replaced by Solanke, Gray and Tel. As Spurs dropped deeper and deeper, they were defending the six yard box more than the 18 yard box. And it was looking more and more likely that PSG would get something. Especially with two of the changes on the pitch. Solanke and Tel were worse than worthless, neither of them could hold onto possession and between them they managed two successful passes from the whole five they attempted.
Oh, but Solanke is just coming back and isn’t match fit. How match fit do you have to be just to hold onto a ball, without any movement. How match fit do you have to be to know when and when not to attempt a pass. How match fit do you have to be to actually make a pass. It’s not match fitness it’s brain fitness. There are still people out there that’ll have Solanke in their starting XI for the first league game, that think he’ll lead the team to glory. As for Tel, as I’ve said before the only thing he did last season was make it easy for Bayern to bin him off. Bet they couldn’t believe Spurs coming in with that offer. Couldn’t snap their hand off quick enough.
Five minutes from the end of the 90 and the inevitable happened – this isn’t last season’s Man U to see off – and Spurs are too deep in their box and Vicario has no hope from a shot from outside the box. For once players were doing that turning their back thing – you know, making look like they’re doing something, when they’re actually not – instead of the body on the line blocking of earlier.
Three minutes into the six added minutes and instead of Spurs doubling up on the PSG wide men, PSG doubled up on Spence, Dembele just behind him was such an easy ball and his cross is headed in. It was far too easy. Two goals from two subs, meanwhile two successful passes from Spurs’ two subs.
Penalties. I hate prancing pens. I hate prancing sideways from straight on with the ball pens.
Well, it started well, but Vicario really didn’t get anywhere near one of PSG’s spot kicks. He committed far too early every time. While Micky didn’t look confident and it was a poor pen but at least it was on target and made the keeper save it Unlike Tel, who pranced about stopped, saw the keeper go to his left and then completely missed the target to the right.
And that’s that. Could have won it. Should have won it. Will those in charge see the lack of squad depth meant yet again they didn’t win it. Or is it the same old same old…